


Vacation Among Family

by Merfilly



Category: Talents Series - Anne McCaffrey
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon, Slice of Life, Yuletide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-14
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-03-01 11:14:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2770958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter is home on the Henner estate for a needed rest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vacation Among Family

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raininshadows](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raininshadows/gifts).



> A small picture of Peter and the women he cares for between the last chapter and the epilogue of _Pegasus in Space_.

Rhyssa peaked in and saw that Peter was both awake and alone now. He was not home on the Henner estate very often these days, as he and Johnny Greene forged their path to the stars, built with Talent and non-Talents alike. She honestly missed him, but she knew that his work was the true path for the Foundation now. 

"Hey."

Peter looked up with a smile, albeit a tired one, for her. "Was wondering if I'd get to see you. Tirla told me you were getting the twins situated to help with this year's flooding around the Indian subcontinent."

"Dave went with them," Rhyssa answered him. "He said he needed a vacation from political fires, so why not a bit of humanitarian flood aid?" Her tone was wry, but they both knew that Dave's battles had long since shifted from just protecting Talent to furthering Peter's vision of the future for Talents and humanity alike.

"Sorry," Peter said, but it was with far less cringing than Rhyssa remembered in that boy that had been so traumatized who had first brushed her mind, so long ago.

"He loves the challenge. And you're making great strides in what you are building," she praised him. "But, I also have it on good authority you really need to settle back, take a rest, and put the work off for a little while. I know Amariyah will be home tomorrow. Is Ceara joining you?"

Peter no longer turned pink over his relationship with Ceara, but he still got that soft look in his eyes for the woman that had captured his heart so fully. "Not until the weekend. But I promised her I would take a rest, for the entire week, barring a full world emergency." 

Rhyssa smiled at him. "Good. I think a lunch with you and Amariyah, maybe Tirla if she can get free, would be a good way to start this vacation properly."

Peter gave a small snort. "Are you going to join me on this vacation, then?"

"Actually, yes," Rhyssa told him. "I've managed to resolve things enough that the others can keep the Centre running without me for a week," she added. "With the boys and my husband gone, I can devote the entire time to keeping you from working."

"That's a two-way street, Rhyssa," he reminded her.

"Just what we both need, then." She waved a small gesture at the computer and file sticks. "These? Leave them alone. Trust Johnny to get your attention directly for anything that absolutely must have your attention, just like I'm trusting Sasha to do for me."

"Alright. I don't think I've had a real break since…" and Peter's voice broke, bleak grief on his features. It was enough for Rhyssa to broach psychic protocol and actually physically joining him, hugging him as best as she could with him sitting in his office chair. He turned to make it easier, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning into her chest.

"We all miss her," Rhyssa said, knowing the hole left in their lives by losing Dorotea just after the Callisto Tower installation still hit them all at the worst moments.

Peter nodded, forcing his disciplined mind to pull up the stronger, more vibrant woman that had taken him in, raised him. Without Dorotea's initial support, without Rhyssa believing in him, none of what he was helping build could have been possible. With that to buffer him, he sat back, letting go of her to look up at her. Those motions, his arms sliding back from her, the way he straightened his body, were just as much a credit to his life among the Foundation's upper echelons as the work on opening space to humanity.

If he had not reached out to Rhyssa all those years ago…

"You did," she said.

"I'm sorry; I thought I was shielded better," he said, flushing slightly. She smiled at him, shaking her head as she did. 

"Not that hard, Peter, to follow your thoughts sometimes. And then others, you fly where none of us can easily follow, the true Pegasus," she said. "I cannot think of what life would be without you there, and we've had far too many scares of learning that reality. So take this time to rest and gather your strength back. You push yourself so hard, have ever since you were the Skele-team."

He laughed, agreeing with her. "I think some time under the sun lamps, then a good night's sleep will be perfect to start this vacation, Rhyssa."

"Good." She stood to leave him to it, while plotting their day for the most change from routine without being too overwhelming on fatigue. "I think Cass can join us too, just in case."

Peter nodded. "I'd like that."

* * *

Amariyah was pleased as she saw Peter again. She had been working hand in hand with the Space Authority to advance the hydroponics needed on long-distance ships, building herself into a needed authority for both her own sake, her passion, and for Peter who needed every powerful ally he could make.

"You have made more muscles, yes," she praised, causing him to flush.

"Ceara thinks I will eventually fill out to my genetic potential, actually." He hugged her, quick and light, fully shielded as was only polite between Talents. "Thank you for making that possible."

She dismissed his words with a sniff. He was family, and had been in need of mending. Her conscious control of her micro-kinesis was solid now, and she was teaching three other promising kinetics now in that fine manipulation. He let go of her, then turned as Cass, Tirla, and Rhyssa all joined him. If Ceara were here, it would be even better, but Peter was happy enough. He had his male friends, from Johnny to the Admiral to Dave. However, Peter knew that each of these women had impacted his life in ways that went above and beyond all of his other interactions. Rhyssa had saved him, Tirla had broadened his mind, Cass had protected him, and Amariyah had healed him.

Dorotea wasn't among the living, but her touch had shaped them all, and he could feel it as his chest suffused with warmth. Next week was soon enough to work on saving mankind from its own poisons. Right now, he was with family, and he was going to enjoy it.

"Come on, ladies; let's go enjoy Jerhatten," he said, before they entered the cradle for transport to the city. That Rhyssa took his hand and squeezed it told him there was an accord between them still. She knew who was his family, and he appreciated her all the more for arranging this day.

It was a good day, a memory to bulwark him against the political fights still to come.


End file.
